


What's Left of Us

by Spacesouffles



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Dana Scully Angst, Episode: s06e12 One Son, F/M, Fox Mulder Angst, Jealous Dana Scully, Love/Hate, Movie: The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998), Mulder please just trust Scully, Post-Movie: The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998), Season/Series 06, fowley trash, sad scully
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-06-16 09:29:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15434037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacesouffles/pseuds/Spacesouffles
Summary: Post and during One Son. Dana reconsiders her position in both the FBI and in Agent Mulder's life. Is she really needed to stick around and watch him fawn over 'Special Agent' Diana Fowley. The reconsideration leads to some revelations that may push the very existence of their friendship and relationship. ANGST





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whouffaldigoldbelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whouffaldigoldbelle/gifts).



> Hey guys, I know it's been a while but I've wanted to write X Files stories for a while now. So go easy on me, okay?
> 
> Dedicated to my best friend and @agentmvlder [IG] x

_But you saved me. As difficult and as frustrating as it's_ _been sometimes, your goddamned strict rationalism and science have_ _saved me a thousand times over._

_You've kept me honest ... made me a whole person._

_I owe you everything, Scully, and you owe me nothing ..._

_I don't know if I wanna do this alone..._

_I don't even know if I can ... and if I quit now, they win._

* * *

 

Those words he’d spoken to her so clearly, she couldn’t forget them. They haunted her. How had so much changed in such a short amount of time. They’d been working together since 1993 but now it was as if none of that mattered. None of it. Not the ‘conspiracy’, nor the ‘abduction’ or her cancer. It had always come down to a matter of trust, their solid ground. But now he didn’t trust her judgement, how could they continue?

Their partnership had been built on the very notion of mutual trust and respect, but he’d sent that flying out of the window indefinitely when he silenced her during their decontamination. How dare he shush her? They were equals, or so she thought.

Dana knew it was a long shot, but the continuation of their partnership was worth it. It was her last shot. Her last hope. Who would’ve ever thought she’d find herself on the doorstep of the Lone Gunmen for help once more.

She’d once called them the most paranoid people she had ever met, once thought it was impossible to comprehend how Mulder thought what they said was even remotely plausible, yet here she was. The young Federal Agent stood there, contemplating her next moves before pressing their buzzer.

Scully felt as if she had no one else to turn to, no one else to trust. Mulder had abandoned all faith in her to blindly follow this ‘Diana Fowley’ woman. She couldn’t believe herself as she waited for one of the three wise men to answer her call. Looking up into their security camera, Dana sighed deeply.

* * *

 

Scully observed him as he entered the Lone Gunmen’s office, he stalked towards her with an expression which read of confusion.

“I'll ask you to hear me out before you launch any objection,” she said instantly, releasing a breath she’d been holding since he’d pressed the buzzer. Her partner nodded in agreement, at least he gave her that.

“Mulder, I asked them to pull up everything they could on Diana Fowley.” Suddenly, his expression changed from confusion, to annoyance and then finally to exasperation. He didn’t want to hear this and she knew that but she had no choice.

“I don’t have time for this.” Mulder replied with a sigh, his eyes rolling as he focused his gaze on his petite partner. The three scrooges stood behind the small redhead, anxiously watching the exchange take place.

“Mulder, she’s playing you for a fool.” Scully tried to begin but he cut her off, just like he had done before. She had to mentally restrain herself from giving into the rage that burned through her veins.

“I know her, Scully.” He said automatically before punctuating his point. “You don’t.”

That was enough to fuel her determination: “You knew her. You don’t anymore.” Dana shook her head slowly as she spoke, hoping and praying to any God that would listen to her so that Mulder would just hear her out. “I think we can prove that to you.”

Dana moved to the side to collect her thoughts, allowing the three men to reveal what evidence they had collected together, as a team, something she and Mulder were not now.

“She took a position in the FBI’s foreign counterterrorism unit in 1991,” Byres began, walking around as he spoke forcing Mulder to accompany him until he stopped beside Scully. “Seven years in Europe…” he allowed Agent Scully to continue much to Mulder’s dismay over the entire act.

“Yet there isn’t a single piece of information available on her activities in the FBI files.” She knew that wouldn’t be enough to convince him but it was a start, hopefully to catch him off guard or entice him to listen and take her seriously.

But her partner merely mocked her with a fake gasp. His arms crossed over his chest, creating a physical barrier between the two. “Hope you got something more than that to indict her with.” He nodded towards the screen which held Diana Fowley’s records.

Evidently unsettled, Dana turned her attention back to the screen and produced the travel documents. “Travel records pulled from airline manifests that had been purged from her FBI records. Extensive movement throughout Western Europe.” But he still didn’t seem to budge. Scully continued, “almost weekly trips to and from Tunisia.”

Finally, he spoke with somewhat intrigue, “for the purpose of what?” However his faith in Diana was still not shaken.

Langly decided to jump in at that point, he could sense the female agent was growing angrier by the second. “That’s what we couldn’t figure, until we took a flyer and we found this.” He clicked onto another tab, Melvin looked uncomfortably over at their friend, Mulder before chiming in.

“Mutual UFO Network Logs”

“MUFON” Mulder sighed once more, his eyes were growing tired. He was tired of this, tired of Scully trying to take down Diana.

“Special Agent Diana Fowley of the FBI was visiting very European chapter collecting data on female abductees.” Scully added as if by saying this Mulder would understand. It appeared that they were both in for a fight as his stubborn nature refused her once more.

“So she’s collecting data. Big deal”

“Or hiding it.”

“Scully, you’re reaching-“

“Mulder, when I was abducted a chip was put in my neck. When I happened upon a MUFON group filled with women who'd had the same experience.” Now she was also growing impatient. Why could he not see how affected she was by this?

“So you're suggesting that Diana is monitoring these abductees? Monitoring these tests?” He asked her incredulously, but his gaze couldn’t meet hers anymore. Whenever her abduction was mentioned his heart ached.

Dana took a deep breath as he spoke, she tried to collect herself before giving into the argument he was starting. “You tell me that Cassandra Spender is the critical test subject - the one who could prove everything. And yet, who is watching over her? Mulder, I can prove what you're saying or I can disprove it but not when Diana Fowley is keeping us from even seeing her.” He still wasn’t looking at her, he didn’t until she stressed his name.

“Mulder, ask yourself why there is no information whatsoever on Special Agent Diana Fowley. Why she would suddenly happen into your life when you are closer than ever to the truth. I mean, you... you ask me to trust no one and yet you trust her on simple faith.” Nothing was stopping her this time, she’d thrown everything on the line. This was her truth, her faith. Their relationship.

Mulder was oblivious to the pain in her eyes, either that or he didn’t care. “Because you've given me no reason here to do otherwise.” His reply was cold in comparison to her confession.

The silence that followed was deafening, the three men surrounding Dana shifted uncomfortably. Even they had believed that this would be enough to at least cause him to question Diana’s motives. Their eyes flickered to the redhead who was contemplating her next response.

“Well, then I can’t help you anymore.” The finality of her reply shook each of them. Scully moved from her station, making a beeline straight for the exit.

“Scully, you’re making this personal.” Fox said as he turned his body to follow her, but not making an effort to stop her.

“Because it is personal, Mulder. Because without the FBI, personal interest is all that I have. And if you take that away, then there is no reason for me to continue.” Her eyes searched his, willing him to stop her, to try change her mind. But that would’ve been the old Mulder. Her partner. Not this man she barely recognised.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dana comes to terms with some revelations.

The redhead stormed towards her car, alone for the umpteenth time following some ‘Diana’ fuelled anger. She paused, only briefly once she climbed into the seat. Her eyes drifted up to the rear-view mirror, searching for any sign of him but the door didn’t budge an inch.

Little did she know; the three Lone Gunmen were giving an uninterested Agent Mulder an earful. Scully was just looking out for him, but he just didn’t see that. She wasn’t on some personal vendetta against Diana, she just didn’t trust her. What had happened to trust no one?

Dana fired up the engine and drove off into the dark, eyes filling with angry tears. She was hurt. How could Mulder continue to do this to her? What good could it possibly do him? Her hand whacked the steering wheel as she was stopped by a red light. He could make the tiniest things anger her.

“Fucking, Mulder.” She groaned before her foot pressed the gas pedal and she continued her journey home. How could they continue to work like this? He hadn’t tried to stop her when she implied quitting…

Did he want her to quit?

Did he want her to quit so Diana Fowley could be his partner instead of her?

In attempt to cool off, Scully drove for an hour or two. Time was lost on her as she fumed, their argument was highly illogical and irrational, but Mulder just wasn’t open to her opinions. But if it had been the other way around, and Diana had brought these concerns up, she was sure Mulder would jump at her words.

* * *

 It was a little after eleven when she parked her car, government permit on the dash. However, Scully wasn’t parked outside her apartment building, instead she was in the parking lot of the J. Edgar building. He most likely wouldn’t be returning tonight, and she wanted to get as much work done as possible to limit their interactions the next day. Could she freeze him out? That’s what he was doing to her. The Medical Doctor rode the elevator to the basement office.

The basement office which now held Agent Spender and Agent Fowley.

She hated how everything had been stripped from her. The safety of _their_ office. She almost laughed at the thought.

Had it ever been theirs? The only name on the office door read ‘Special Agent Fox Mulder’ there was no mention of her. Inside there was only one desk. His desk with his name staking claim. It hadn’t truly bothered her before as she’d taken for granted that they were equals. But it was clear to her now, as clear as any autopsy or medical regime was.

* * *

 

Three cups of coffee later and Special Agent Dana Scully was neither angry or sad, this fight was waring her down. For years she’d built this wall, shielding her emotions, shielding anything that wasn’t cold hard facts. The nickname Ice Queen had originated somewhere from this personality choice.

He hadn’t called, she’d left her phone switched on, just on the off chance that he’d try and reach out one last time. But he hadn’t; he was probably laughing off her concerns with the woman in question. In some sports bar, or at his apartment… she wasn’t jealous.

No.

That wasn’t it.

She was deeply hurt by the sense of distrust he emitted.

On her way to retrieve her fourth cup she heard the elevator to the basement open. Slowly, she slid out of sight and held her breath. Was it Mulder?

Carefully, the M.D. inched her head out to see just who had interrupted her. Her stomach lurched, would she be caught? The tell-tale sound of heels clicked on the metal hallway, towards the office.

Fowley.

Dana stayed quiet, hidden in the shadows, watching. The older woman was in and out of the office in under forty-five seconds and left clutching a file on her way out. She hadn’t seemed to notice the set up at the desk, presuming Agent Spender had returned at some point.

Scully could smell Diana's stale perfume and… smoke. Cigarette smoke.

“Son of a bitch…” Scully muttered under her breath before she decided to ditch the coffee and see if any of her files were missing. What had Diana taken? She looked around, picking up everything and returning it to her bag.

Okay, so nothing that was on the desk. She’d been situated in the X Files for a while, she’d know exactly where any specific file was. Then she froze. Dana remembered exactly what she’d told Mulder just a few hours prior…

 _Special Agent Diana Fowley of the FBI was visiting_ _very European chapter collecting data on female abductees…_

_When I was abducted…_

Scully made her way towards the filing cabinet and proceeded to search. Pulling out the drawer of files under the letter 'S', but she came up empty handed.

“She took my file…” Dana murmured, brows furrowed in confusion. Was she hiding the information? She knew her file held information related to her abduction, Tooms, Antarctica… multiple references to Mulder’s beliefs into the paranormal and other female abductees. _Her cancer…_

Every doubt she’d ever had about Diana Fowley was being realised. Everything, right from the start with Gibson Praise. A shiver ran down Scully’s spine as she thought back to a previous argument.

_Agent Fowley took me to that plant at great risk to herself where I saw something that you refuse to believe in. Saw it again, Scully. And though it may not say it in her report, Diana saw it, too. And no matter what you think she's certainly going to go around saying that just because science can't prove it isn’t true._

_I don't doubt what you saw, Mulder. I don't doubt you. I'm willing to believe, but not in a lie and not in the opposite of what I can prove. It comes down to a matter of trust. I guess it always has._

_You asking me to make a choice?_

_I’m asking you to trust my judgement. To trust me._

Dana shook the thoughts from her head and gathered her belongings before getting the hell out of that office, without leaving a trace of her presence. Mulder would never believe what she’d just seen. She was alone.

Alone and definitely in danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with this, I've gone through some personal changes but updates will be more frequent now. 
> 
> Already writing chapter 3, who knows... maybe you'll get another chapter tonight...
> 
> Lisa x

**Author's Note:**

> Comments welcomed x


End file.
